


Corrupted Flower

by YJT624



Category: Vocaloid
Genre: F/M, Not Twincest, Platonic Miku/Len, Romantic Rin/Len
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-21
Updated: 2019-08-21
Packaged: 2020-09-23 07:04:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20336083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YJT624/pseuds/YJT624
Summary: Repost of an old story that I wrote and posted years ago.Nobleman Kagamine Len decides to sneak away from a gala to enjoy the festivals of the common folk instead. During his outing, he meets an enchanting woman in a pastel pink dress.





	Corrupted Flower

**Author's Note:**

> This story is loosely based on the song by Kagamine Rin/Len titled "Corrupted Flower."

** _ Corrupted Flower _ **

** _ _ **

In a kingdom that prospered under the rule of a caring and kind king, a celebration was held in town square. The great memorial statue of the first king was placed in the center of a large fountain, drawing many people to its edges to lounge and stare into the glittering light of the stars. Shops circled around this centerpiece and gradually spread out into endless walkways of entertainment and merchandise. All to celebrate the founding of this town and the arrival of the first king, and it was a splendid celebration, indeed.

Len Kagamine, son of Leon Kagamine, was a nobleman that craved something he could never have. And that was love. He had already been signed into an arranged marriage with the lovely princess of this kingdom, Miss Miku Hatsune. She was a gorgeous young woman; her personality was one of the best things about her. He liked her, a lot. But he didn’t LOVE her.

And that was the main problem.

He had tried to convince his father to call it off but he didn’t listen to his reasoning. His father’s only goal was to make his family prosper and climb to the top. And Len knew that with his marriage to Lady Miku would make them royalty. But he didn’t care.

_I do not WANT to marry Miku… she is my childhood friend; she is like a sister to me. I cannot simply take her hand of marriage simply because a paper says I must. _

While conversing with the princess the other day, she had agreed with him on that point. They felt mutual about this marriage and yet, the heads of their families would not even lend an ear to listen.

_How frustrating…_

The blonde nobleman let out an irritable sigh as he continued to stare up at the stars from the balcony of his family mansion. His father, Duke Kagamine, had decided to throw a party and invited all the Earls, Viscounts and Dukes of the kingdom to celebrate. The royal family even decided to visit to have a drink or two. But Len didn’t want to socialize with adults that only talked about money and politics. So here he sat, out on the balcony enjoying the cool midnight breeze that fluttered by.

“I knew you would be out here.”

He jumped as he turned towards the glass door to find the princess herself, Miku, standing by the door. The light from inside the mansion illuminated half her face in an artificial yellow glow while the moon made the other half glow a brilliant white.

Immediately standing from his seat, he walked over to her and knelt before her. Taking her hand, he gently placed a kiss on the back of it and declared, “Princess, it is an honour to be of your presence.”

“Oh please, Len. You know better than anyone that I hate when people do that to me!” she complained as she let out an exaggerated sigh. She shot a playful glare and a smirk to her childhood friend.

Len grinned at her in response to her whining and stood. “Of course I know. I only act to bother the fair maiden.”

As much of a role model she is to the city, she made the immature gesture to stick her tongue out at him before letting her gaze drift to the twinkling night sky. “The stars are so pretty, like precious gems up in the sky…” she murmured. Before he could say anything, she turned back to him and accused, “I bet you would love to sneak away from this political house party to dance with the commoners in the square. Would you not?”

He was about to give a quick cheeky lie but the look on her face made him realize that there wasn’t a point. “Yes, I do,” he agreed. “Commoners are much kinder than this snotty lot we call nobility.”

“What about me?!” the teal haired girl exclaimed, sounding deeply offended.

With a chuckle, he replied, “You are alright.”

She let out an annoyed huff but giggled despite the obvious insult that was thrown her way. “You could go. I can inform your father that you retired to your bedroom for the night.”

“Would you do that for me?” he asked eagerly. He felt like a trapped rat being stuck in this building. He wanted to explore the town and join their celebration.

“Yes, but if you leave, you can only come back when your parents have fallen asleep. That will most likely be sunrise. You will only be able to catch a few hours of sleep.”

“I do not care for that,” he retorted immediately, “I would love to leave this cage.”

A short amused laugh escaped the maiden’s lips as she sighed, “Even at the age of nineteen, he still seeks the thrill of escape.” She walked up to him and removed his elaborately decorated overcoat leaving him in his plain white dress shirt. The overcoat was a symbol of nobility in this kingdom. So without it, he looked like any other commoner out there.

Miku whipped a hand behind her ‘fiancé’ and flicked the ponytail it was in. “I still cannot believe you’ve grown your hair to be this long.”

“I prefer it long,” he replied curtly as he proceeded to stand on the edge of the massive balcony. Taking a large leap, he landed on a steady tree branch a few feet away from the balcony. Sending his friend a smirk, he said, “I shall be going,” and climbed down the tree.

He heard the teal haired girl chuckle and the door to the balcony creak. When he heard it slam shut, he rustled his way through the shrubbery and swivelled around the flowerbeds, jumping over the back gate since it was much quicker than unlocking it and locking it again. Once he knew he was off Kagamine property, he made a slight jog towards the glowing happiness of the town square.

o.O.o.O.o

The bustling crowd of dancers in the square was inspiring, it truly was. Watching the way they danced with utmost joy, no matter how ridiculous they looked acting that way. It was so heartwarming.

_I do not regret sneaking out. Not at all._

Len himself wasn’t a very good dancer either, but watching others made him itch to find a partner to waltz awkwardly with. The grin on his face made him look like a fool but he couldn’t help it: he felt so light standing within the celebration.

Scanning the crowds of people that stood on the sidelines, one caught his eye in particular. A blonde woman, about his age, maybe a little younger, that had captivating sea blue eyes. Her hair was curled in a way that framed her cute face perfectly, the clips adding a little touch to her appearance. She wore a pastel pink dress that resembled a flower… a rose to be precise. A green rose vine snaked up her left arm only to be attached to a delicate pink rose located at her wrist. And as a finishing touch, a large pastel pink ribbon poked out from the back of her head.

_What a gorgeous young lady… a noble, perhaps?_

The deep sapphire eyes that stared into his own were enchanting; it felt as if she were staring straight into his soul. Her smirk was almost intimidating. But something about her, something he could not place, drew him to her. The blonde noble suddenly felt as if he were under a spell, encircling his vision with a haze that made it so that he could only see the woman in pink.

That beautiful woman in pink…

Unable to deny the invisible force pulling him toward her, he took long strides around the square of dancing couples over to the blonde woman that enchanted him. Not thinking of his actions, he bowed slightly and asked, “My fair maiden, would you care to share this dance with me?”

Completely embarrassed by his own abrupt actions, he quickly shot up and stared wide eyed at her. “Uhm, I mean…” he muttered, his cheeks flaring up. Why did he just do that? A stunning young lady like her would never dance with someone like him.

But to his surprise, she giggled at his flustered words and nodded, “How could I refuse such a polite invitation?” She flashed a warm smile at him that made his heart race, “It would be my pleasure.”

He blinked a few times, unable to register the strange feeling that tumbled within his stomach. The smile that was flashed his way made him radiate with an unknown happiness. Shaking off the feeling, he grinned in return and held out his hand, “Then shall we take to the floor, milady?”

“Certainly,” she giggled again as she took his hand and allowed him to lead her within the crowd of waltzing pairs.

Wrapping his left hand around her waist, he pulled her closer to him while holding out his right hand out away from their bodies. Her right hand rested comfortably on his shoulder, like how her other hand rested in his. Mentally counting the beats of the music, he lead her back and forth his basic steps to begin. Gradually, he built up confidence to add spins and twirls into their routine as they floated around the beautiful fountain.

Their eyes never strayed to their feet because this dance was a fairly simple one. Len found himself lost within the vortexes of deep blue that were such a similar colour to his own, the way they sparked every time she smiled made his heart skip. The black pupils within those orbs of sapphire bore into his mind, almost as if they could see into his soul.

But he couldn’t bring himself to care for that sort of thing, because the woman he was dancing with was so dazzling it drowned out any other concerns.

“You dance very well,” he heard the blonde woman comment, smiling at him fondly.

With a smile in return, he replied, “You stole those words right from my lips.”

She giggled flirtatiously as she whispered into his ear, “Your lips look very appetizing, do you mind if I steal a taste?”

The incomprehensible shiver that ran up his spine caused his voice to become caught in his throat. His heart beat pounded within his eardrums as he swallowed the lump and murmured, “That will depend, my fair maiden.”

“On what?” she asked seductively, pulling herself a little closer to him.

The blonde noble could feel his face heat up slightly as he coughed, “May I know your name at least?”

As if she was taken aback by his request, she stared at him in confusion and shock. The aura about her suddenly changed from dangerously alluring to genuine curiosity. But she attempted to quickly cover it up and muttered bashfully, “I am called Rin.”

_Her manner is different now. I wonder why…_

Len could feel a smile form on his lips as they continued to dance. Building up courage, he leaned in close and quickly gave the young lady’s lips a peck before saying, “The pleasure is all mine, Miss Rin.” Never breaking eye contact for a second, he continued, “As a reward for telling me, I give you the kiss you ask for.”

He watched as she blinked in disbelief from his actions before a light pink dusted her cheeks as she broke eye contact, embarrassed. The blonde beauty bit her lips as if she was trying to say something in return, but nothing came to mind.

_I wonder why she is making such a face…_

Intrigued by her strange reaction, he spun them around and dipped her abruptly before picking her up by her waist. Using minimum strength, he lifted her into the air and spun before returning to the basic dance position.

At the sudden change in dance steps, she stumbled and yelped in surprise. When the returned to the basic dance position, she glared playfully at him; but he couldn’t help but notice that her face turned another shade brighter. “That was not very kind of you,” Rin pouted, “I could have fallen.”

“Ah, but I did not see you fall,” he teased as he pulled her body against his own, their noses touching. _What in the world are you doing? _His inner voice was screaming the question as his heart raced and urged him to carry on. Feeling her breath tangle with his made him unable to control his actions; his mind couldn’t function properly.

“Would you trust me?” Len whispered in such a tone that it even took him by surprise. The way he was acting around this woman was completely different compared how he acted around Miku. This felt different. His heart was always beating quicker than normal and for some odd reason: he wanted to know more about this woman named Rin.

As soon as those words left his mouth, he tensed ever so slightly in anticipation, hoping that she would say ‘yes’. Almost immediately, he felt ridiculous. This wasn’t a marriage proposal, why was he so nervous of her answer? Why was it that whenever she smiled, his stomach churned in a way that told him that he wanted to see it more often. What was this sudden feeling of attraction towards this woman?

_Could it possibly be…? No, it is foolish to think that._

The blonde noble watched the other intently as she pursed her lips in thought. After a few moments, she gave him a warm smile and nodded, “I would. You should feel honoured that you have earned my trust. I do not usually hand it out this easily, but something about you draws me to you.”

Hearing those words made his chest feel lighter when he realized that his feelings of enchantment were returned, even if it was only slightly. Laughing nervously, he breathed, “I am glad,” and continued to guide her through the dance around the fountain.

Almost too soon, the song ended with a resounding chord that made the bystanders clap out of obligation. As the couples struck their ending poses, the men that provided the music proceeded to switch the records.

“I should get going,” Rin muttered as she looked up at the sky, the moon was full and high in the sky. “My friends will be concerned if I am gone for long.” She untangled herself from his hold and curtsied politely, “Good night, sir,” with that, she turned to walk away.

He knew it was just a simple goodbye, which she probably meant that she could see him again. But her tone of voice told him that she wasn’t going to show her face to him ever again. That scared him. In a slight panic, he reached out and grabbed her wrist, “Please share one more dance with me,” he pleaded.

The blonde girl turned back to look at him in surprise as he realized what he had just said. In an attempt to cover his tracks, he stammered, “B-but if your friends happen to be worried, do not take up my request.” 

She bit her full lip indecisively; the action made his heart skip. Those lips looked very soft and lovely, and they tasted of rose water and bread. He immediately yearned to kiss her again but restrained himself as he waited for her answer.

“Oh, alright,” she sounded defeated, “but just one dance. After that I cannot accept anymore offers, understand?”

The blonde noble couldn’t help but smile when she said that. Attempting to hide the large grin, he bowed in a polite fashion and declared gratefully, “Thank you for complying to me request.”

Holding her hand, Len stood there in the middle of town square like all the other duos, waiting for the next song to begin. Soon enough, a very exotic, fast paced rhythm played from the record system that could only be one type of music: the Tango. The crowd started clapping and cheering, obviously hinting that this style was very popular in these parts.

“A tango?” he mumbled, “I do not believe I have danced this style recently.”

Rin let out a short chuckle before she assumed the correct stance and looked him in the eye. “No need to fret,” she smirked, “I can lead you.” Just as he was about to reply, she tugged him onto the dance floor, making quick and precise steps, forcing him to follow.

Startled by the sudden move, he stumbled in his steps as he struggled to follow the experienced woman. But soon enough, he regained his footing and took the lead right from her delicate fingers. Neither spoke a word as he spun the girl so she was facing away from him, continuing the complex steps of this style. Rubbing up against him, she slid down in the most seductive manner that left all the male crowd members star struck. Her creamy white leg curled around his own as she spun and pulled herself back up to face him again.

Stunned by the sudden close contact made by the maiden, Len twitched. But it was only a brief show of discomfort before he put more into the dance as he dipped the other and lifted her to do a dramatic spin. When he put her down, he pulled them close so that their noses rubbed against each other, their breaths mixed in the most heated way. He saw the blonde woman smirk slightly at him as she pulled away as quickly as they collided, continuing the quick dance.

As the pair danced, the blonde noble subconsciously noticed that with each passing spin and lift, their bodies drew closer and closer until they could barely hold the basic posture correctly. But he didn’t mind in the slightest, he wanted to be closer to this woman. The music wasn’t helping him keep his yearning at bay either. If anything, it made him more courageous to make a move.

_What is it about her that enchants me like this?_

What’s more is that he knew that his feelings of attraction were returned, even if it wasn’t to his extent. That made him all the more encouraged to make a move.

As they continued to dance around the fountain, the music soon came to the final verse that triggered a sudden flare of tricks and twirls from the couples around them. Noticing this, Len’s grip tightened around the maiden’s waist as he somewhat forcefully spun her. She whirled around three times before he wrapped his arm around her waist, her back facing him. Immediately, she kicked her foot high into the air, flashing whatever was underneath the dress at the crowd. After the stunt, she turned swiftly back to face her partner.

The blonde noble gave her an awed look as she winked cheekily at him. “Come now,” she whispered playfully, “we must flaunt what talent we have.”

For a moment, he was shocked by her suddenly want to increase the amount of stunts. But soon after, he grinned and replied, “Very well.”

Right after his response, he made her face away from him and let go of her completely. They continued their steps, completely in sync as they tapped separate from one another. Rin soon began to twirl like a top as he shot intense gazes at the audience, making exaggerated hand motions that surprisingly fit the music. The ending of the song was drawing nearer as they continued this one stunt around the fountain. Finally, she stopped spinning and faced him once more. Thrusting one foot high in the air, she rested her ankle on his shoulder and clamped her fingers around his neck. Understanding, he grabbed her by the hips and quickly lifted her slightly off the ground. Careful not to hurt her, he whirled with her doing an almost-split. He could hear the crowd scream with excitement and amazement but he ignored it. Focussing intently on the music and his partner, he stopped and let go of her hips as she jumped away from him and put her leg down. She turned to face the people as she leaned up against his chest. Seductively, she looked up and touched his cheeks with her delicate fingers, causing his heart to flutter.

In response to her hand motion, he made immediate eye contact, wrapping his arms around her waist. He slowly moved his hands away from her hips and towards her belly button. Even as they ended up at the center of her belly, they continued to travel until they again reached her hips. With half lidded eyes, the maiden spun once more to face her partner and they resumed to dance the basic steps. That finale began to play as they threw themselves apart once more and collided just as quickly, chests touching. Snaking his arms around her waist once more, he spun her around in one direction, then in the other. When the last note played, he stopped her abruptly and dipped her as their finishing move. Their faces close, so close that their breaths molded together into one.

The crowd clapped and whistled for them as the blonde pair held their ending pose, desperately gulping in oxygen. Len stared into deep blue pools tiredly, feeling as if he should say something. But he couldn’t think of what he wanted to tell her, or he couldn’t pick just one thing to say. He wanted to tell her that she was an amazing dancer, tell her that she looked fantastic in that dress.

He wanted to tell her about the bewitching spell that she has cast upon him.

Unable to voice his thoughts, he allowed his eyes to fall shut as he moved just a mere centimetre forward, pressing his lips onto hers. Pouring all of his feelings of adoration and amazement into the kiss, he pulled her up until she was standing again, his hands still glued to her waist. He felt her fingertips travel from his shoulders to the back of his neck as they laced together. The way she turned her head slightly to accept him made his heart jump.

_Does she understand what I want to say?_

When they parted, the blonde noble’s heartbeat was loud and ringing in his ears as he murmured, “You were dazzling.”

Her giggle made him feel lighter as she replied, “Why thank you, but the flattery should be direct towards you, my good sir. I am starting to doubt your claimed inexperience.”

Hearing the teasing comment made him chuckle, “I am inexperienced,” he insisted. The maiden in pink gave him a disbelieving look that made him laugh, “But dancing with you was great fun.”

“Likewise,” Rin answered.

There was a silent pause in which they just stared into each other’s eyes, both reluctant to let go. Unwillingly, the blonde woman unlaced her fingers from behind his neck while he, just as regretfully, let go of her waist. With a sigh, he held out his hand and offered, “Shall I lead this lovely lady off the dance floor?”

“Certainly,” she smiled warmly at him as she gratefully took his hand. Elegantly, they trotted away from the square and his new dance partner led him to go down a random street.

o.O.o.O.o

Eventually, they ended up in a large area covered with flowerbeds; right in the center was yet another fountain, not as elaborate as the one in the main square but just as astounding. No flowerbed was left empty, all were filled with beautiful blooms that glittered and shined under the moonlight.

“Is this the open garden that many have spoken of?” Len asked in bewilderment. “What a beautiful area of town…”

“It is,” the young lady agreed with a small smile. “I love coming here, the flowers are very calming.”

The blonde noble hummed in response, relaxing as he stared off at the wonderful flowers that the gardener must have put much work to keeping them this way. A few seconds into the silence, Rin suddenly pointed out with a smirk, “I still am unaware of who you may be.”

As soon as he heard her say that, he felt flustered and embarrassed; how could he have possibly forgotten to introduce himself? “I-I apologize deeply,” he blurted out bashfully.

The blonde woman giggled at his stammering and replied, “I accept your apology, but please tell me your name.”

Rubbing the back of his neck, he laughed nervously. Would it be okay to tell her his name? He wasn’t sure what the commoners thought of nobles, so he wasn’t sure if she’d see him differently if she knew.

_Well, telling her my first name will be fine… I hope._

“I-I…” he let out an uneasy sigh and tried again. Why was it so hard to simply speak his name? “M-my name is Len.”

“Len…” she repeated, his name never sounded so sweet. “It is a pleasure to meet you. May I call you Lenny?” she grinned hopefully at him.

“Lenny?” he echoed in surprise. No one has ever asked to give him a nickname, because whenever he met new people, he was with his father. “Why would you desire to call me that?” he asked in pure curiosity.

She simply shrugged her shoulders, “I feel that it suits you and,” she winked at him, “It sounds cute, very much like how you act when you are embarrassed.”

As if to prove her point, he felt his cheeks heat up. “I am not cute,” he mumbled defiantly, causing her to giggle once more.

“May I call you that?” she asked again with a hopeful glint within her sapphire orbs.

Len pressed his lips together in thought. Does he really want to be called “Lenny” by a woman he just met? But she wasn’t just any woman: she was Rin, the pastel pink flower, the flower that intoxicated him and infected his heart. And even though it was nearly impossible, he wanted to see her again after tonight ended.

Finally, he let out a sigh of defeat and said, “Alright, you may call me that.”

_Only because she is Rin; if she were anyone, I would have immediately refused._

“Really?” she exclaimed excitedly. When he nodded, she clapped with joy as she beamed happily at him.

This whole night, he had only seen her smirk mischievously and grin in amusement. But when he saw her smile with all her heart, his heart felt like it was going to burst out of his chest and all he could think was:

_She is beautiful._

“My goodness, it has gotten late,” the blonde girl commented as she stared into the sky. The moon was still high in the sky but a smidgen of the sun had poked from beneath the horizon. “I should get going. My friends are waiting.” Politely, she curtsied gracefully in front of him before she said, “It was a pleasure dancing with you, Lenny.” With that, she turned to leave.

He knew it was only right to let her walk away this time but still, something within him made him grab her wrist. This feeling within him that kept nagging him, wondering: what if we never meet again? “Will I ever see you again?” he blurted.

“I…” Rin looked down at the ground, “I do not know,” she admitted shamefully.

“No, that will not do,” he insisted desperately, “I must see you again.” The thought of never seeing this woman again was devastating, it made his chest convulse in agony. He did not want that to happen.

The lady in pink bit her lip decisively, “I… I want to see you again as well, but I sincerely doubt my occupation will allow it,” she admitted regretfully.

“There must be a way,” he pleaded.

Letting out a slightly stressed sigh, she stated, “I come to this garden every Tuesday and Thursday, when the moon is high in the sky.” She stared seriously into his blue eyes and claimed, “We may meet here on those days.”

Len let a relieved smile spread upon his lips as the anxiousness escaped his chest, quickly replaced with happiness. “Thank goodness,” he let out a breath that he didn’t he held as he pulled the other into a warm embrace. “I am overjoyed,” he murmured, unable to think of anything else to express the feeling that erupted from his heart.

For a moment, the lady was shocked by the sudden close contact. But soon, he could feel her hands press against his back whole heartedly, returning the gesture.

When they parted, the blonde noble reached to hold her hand up to his lips. The hand which had the lovely pastel pink rose tied around the wrist, he kissed the fingers gently and smiled. “I have picked quite a wonderful flower tonight,” he said quietly, his tone soft and sweet.

For the second time that night, the maiden flushed a light crimson as she slowly took her hand back and held it with the other. She flashed him a pained smile and spoke in a voice so quiet, he almost didn’t hear her. “It is a shame that you have chosen one which is corrupted,” she sounded sorrowful. And with that, she turned away from him and jogged into an alley.

_Corrupted…?_

He couldn’t comprehend that phrase; how was his fair maiden corrupt? Seeking the answer, he swivelled into the alleyway he saw her sneak into but didn’t find any trace of the woman. Sighing in disappointment and confusion, he walked back the way they had come, onward back to his family mansion.

o.O.o.O.o

Weeks soon turned into months, and just as they promised that night, they saw each other two days a week. Len cleverly manoeuvred a way to sneak out his bedroom window without placing a scratch on his pale skin. Although it was a painstaking process to sneak out and to sneak back in, and he would be exhausted for the rest of the day, he didn’t care. He was able to see Rin, his lovely pink lady. And that was all that mattered.

Every time he arrived at that garden, she was already seated on a bench, gazing up at the lovely white moon that was surrounded by shimmering stars. She wore the same dress; her appearance stayed exactly the same as when they first met during the festival dance. But he always thought the colour and dress suited her, so he didn’t comment on it.

The subject of her claimed “corruption” never came up during their long conversations, he was curious about it. He had brought it up once, but she quickly evaded the subject and quickly turned to talk about the stars. It was plain to see that she wasn’t comfortable talking about it, so he decided to let her tell him if she believed he needed to know.

_But I wish she knew that I do not believe she is “corrupt.” In my eyes, she is the purest maiden I had ever known and nothing could ever replace her importance in my heart. _

It pained him slightly knowing that she thought this of herself but he couldn’t do much about it. Even though he wanted to tell her how he saw her, he was very sure that she wouldn’t believe him. Within these past months, he learned that she was stubborn on her views of certain subjects. So he learned not to argue.

His reverie was interrupted by a loud knock on his bedroom door. Twitching in surprise, he quickly regained himself and called, “State your business.”

“Master Len,” his servant yelled through the door, “Lady Miku has come to see you.”

_Ah yes, I had forgotten about her letter earlier today._

“You may enter.”

With a clean click, the wooden door swung open revealing a white haired servant, who bowed respectively when he caught sight of his master. In one smooth motion, he held the door open for the teal-haired girl and bowed respectively to her as well. “Thank you for visiting; it is an honour to be in your presence at this time.”

“Piko,” Miku sternly spoke, annoyed, “please do not say that to me. You know as well as your master that I highly dislike being told that.”

“I apologize, milady,” the servant awkwardly replied, looking down at his shoes.

The princess let out a sigh and smiled hopelessly at him. She held out a hand to touch his cheek, causing him to perk up in surprise by the sudden contact. “I do love your eyes,” she stated calmly. “One is emerald and the other is aquamarine, what a beautiful pair.”

“I-I am glad my eyes please you,” he muttered, unable to say anything else. A light flush glowed on his cheeks as he turned back to his master and said, “Supper will be served within an hour, I will come to escort the both of you.”

“Thank you, Piko,” the blonde noble nodded, signalling him to leave. The white-haired boy immediately shut the door behind him as his footsteps steadily faded until they could no longer be heard.

“Miku, I believe he has taken a liking to you,” he smirked when his servant left.

“Has he really?” she gasped in mock surprise, “Why thank you, my friend, for informing me.”

The two friends briefly share a light hearted laugh within the quiet room before Miku took her fiancé’s hand. She looked seriously into his deep blue eyes, “Our wedding ceremony will be held tomorrow,” she informed.

As soon as she said the words, his heart clenched painfully for a moment. Of course he knew it was tomorrow, he just didn’t want to acknowledge the fact that he had to go through this process. The wedding ceremony, becoming a prince, eventually becoming king; it was too much. “I am aware,” he sighed solemnly.

Curiously, the princess cocked her head to the side, “You sound more defeated then I imagined you would be,” she observed. “Have you found a woman?”

Len was completely taken aback by the sudden personal question and in flustered reflex, he blurted out, “I have not.” The crack in his voice must have completely given him away because he received a smirk from his long time friend.

“As usual, you are a terrible liar, my old friend,” she giggles. It was the giggle that she always laughed when she finally got something out of him, he disliked it very much. The glint in her pale blue eyes told him that he would not be able to leave whole if he didn’t tell her everything.

_What have I done…?_

“What is her name?” she demanded immediately.

“Miku…” he mumbled, exasperated.

“Tell me,” her voice had a dark undertone despite the kind smile that filled her face.

The blonde noble shrank away slightly at the evil aura that began to emit from the lady as he began to wonder if he would live to see the next sunrise. Fearfully, he replied quietly, “Her name is Rin.”

“Rin?” she repeated before flashing a wide grin, “Was it at the festival?”

“Yes…”

“Her appearance?”

“Golden silk-like hair that reaches her shoulders, her eyes are a beautiful azure colour.” As he was speaking, he remembered the woman he saw every Tuesday and Thursday, and smiled, despite his efforts to remain indifferent.

“Oh my,” Miku commented, “You look as if you are under a heavy spell.”

Snapping himself out of his thoughts, he felt his cheeks heat slightly as he stuttered, “I-I do not!”

“Oh, but you do,” she chuckled at her embarrassed fiancé. “My dear friend has fallen in love,” the grin on her face nearly reached her ears.

“I-I…” he didn’t know what to say. Had he really fallen in love with Rin? He wasn’t sure. Although he always longed to love someone, he couldn’t even understand his own feelings.

“When you first laid your eyes on her, what were you feeling?” as quizzical as ever, the questions kept coming.

“Must I answer this one?” he cried hopelessly.

“No,” before he could even breathe a sigh of relief, she added darkly, “but I have all night to wait for one.”

_Damn her and her undying persistence. _

“I-I…” he let out an anxious breath as he closed his sea blue eyes in thought. “As soon as I laid eyes on her, I felt drawn to her. I felt that I wanted to know her, befriend her.” The memory of that night would always be treasured in his heart and mind. That night, he felt like a butterfly being lured to a flower by the scent of its sweet nectar, and unable to contain himself, he took some with him. He couldn’t contain the smirk that pulled on the corner of his mouth as he continued, “I asked her to dance—“

“YOU asked a woman to DANCE?!” her bewilderment was evident in her voice and all over her face. Her jaw nearly touched the floor and her eyes were bigger than plates. “You cannot dance.”

“I can!” he retorted, offended. “I just do not wish to dance with any of the noble women.”

Miku narrowed her eyes skeptically at him, “I do not believe you.” But before he could say a word, she shot him another question, “Is she a commoner?”

“I believe so,” he answered in slight sorrow. He steeled himself mentally to hear the harsh words that could possibly escape her lips. The belief of a commoner and a noble loving each other was looked down upon by many, he wouldn’t be surprised if she gave him scorn about it.

“I had a feeling that you would come to love a commoner,” the princess smiled at him once again, but this time it was a warm and supportive smile. “I sincerely hope that it will be a successful relationship.”

The response shocked him completely as he blinked slowly. But the encouragement he received from her made him feel glad that he knew her personally. “Thank you, Miku,” he whispered bashfully while sending a small smile her way.

At that given moment, there was a knock on the door that made the pair jump. Slightly irritated by the interruption, the blonde called, “State your business.”

“Master Len, Master Kaito and Master Gakupo are here to have a chat,” Piko called through the door. “They are in the main foyer. Also, supper will be served momentarily, thank you for your patience.”

“Piko, can you please escort Lady Miku to the dining room? I shall speak with Kaito and Gakupo before we have supper.” Len could not help but smirk at the scowl he received from the woman.

“Certainly, Master Len,” the servant answered immediately as he opened the door slowly. After bowing in utmost respect, he held out his hand for the teal-haired lady to take. “Miss Miku, if I may.”

“Of course, Piko,” she beamed at him which made him flush a light pink once more.

The blonde chuckled at his servant’s reaction as he said, “Thank you, Piko. Now, I shall be off to see what the two want with my attention.”

The three of them simultaneously left the room as the white-haired boy closed the door behind them. And with that, they split up, Len heading towards the foyer to meet some old friends.

o.O.o.O.o

“Ah, Len!” the blue haired noble exclaimed as he ran towards the blonde and gave him a tight bear hug.

Len began to cough from the lack of air as he smacked his friend’s back weakly, “Kaito, I cannot breathe…”

“Oh, my apologies,” Kaito muttered as he let go of the younger one sheepishly.

The blonde let out a relieved sigh as he took a step back to straighten out his clothing, his eyes briefly made contact with Gakupo. He sent the other a nod of acknowledgement as he asked, “So what brings you two gentlemen here at this hour?”

“We have come to congratulate you on your wedding tomorrow,” the purple-haired man explained calmly. “It is the day you become royalty, after all.”

“Ah, thank you,” he muttered to his elder.

“But that aside!” the most cheerful of the three exclaimed, “we have also come here to take you to a very special place after your supper.” The glint in his almost-navy blue eyes made Len slightly suspicious of the other.

“We are not going for ice cream again, are we?” he asked skeptically.

Kaito stopped for a moment and admitted sadly, “I am afraid not, should we get some? I do feel the wish to eat some.”

“No,” Gakupo denied, receiving a teary eyed look from the other. “Kaito, you are at the age of twenty five, please act your age.”

The blue haired man huffed as he shot back, “You may say that, but you are the age of twenty nine, yet you still sleep with a stuffed eggplant.”

“I do not!” the oldest of three snapped. Turning back to the blonde noble, he stated, “We will be taking to somewhere special, and you will spend the night there.” He smirked fondly as he continued, “It is a wonderful place, indeed.”

“It is,” Kaito agreed, his eyes now wrapped in a dreamy haze as he fell into a trance of memory. “It is paradise there. You will love it.”

The sudden smile that appeared on his elder’s lips made him doubtful in letting them drag him to whatever “paradise” they have been to. The other two must have sensed his reluctance because they immediately showered him with extremely vague yet detailed descriptions of how fantastic this “place” was.

They continued to speak to him in frantic streams of attempted persuasion at the same time until finally; he became completely agitated by their approach. “Enough!” Len shouted, irritated. Almost immediately, the other two nobles shut their mouths. “I will come along to this ‘paradise’ you speak of,” he let out a frustrated breath, trying to calm down. “As long as you have me back by midday, otherwise father will have both your heads.”

Both of their faces lit up brightly as they grinned widely at their younger friend, “Of course,” they replied, a little too excited.

Seeing them filled with so much anticipation made him begin to regret his decision: _Dear lord, what have I agreed to? _As he opened his mouth to ask once more where they were going to take him, he was interrupted by two loud claps coming from the direction of the door.

The three noblemen all turned to see Piko standing by the door to the corridor with his hands glued together. Bowing politely, he spoke, “Master Len, Master Kaito, Master Gakupo, supper is about to be served. If you would follow me, I would like to escort you gentlemen to the dining room.”

“Of course, Piko,” Len said stiffly. Somewhat relieved that the conversation was over, he and his fellow nobles followed the servant into the dining room to meet with Miku. And there, they shared a carefree dinner of chatting about old times and their childhood.

o.O.o.O.o

The carriage carrying the three men bumped and shook as they rode down the streets of the town. The two elder ones kept up a light conversation about what they had been up to, their views on trivial matters such as food. The youngest couldn’t bring himself to join their friendly chit chat, even when they tried to include him. So he ended up looking out the window of the sleek black carriage, watching commoners go on with their daily tasks.

As they continued to clop down the street, he noticed that this particular coach received many shocked stares. Was it so uncommon for a noble to ride through town? After thinking about it, he couldn’t blame them. Most noblemen looked down at the commoners with a scornful expression, feeling no need to negotiate with them.

Len felt ashamed that his class would think such horrible things of such kind people. He also felt ashamed to be within that class of selfish money hoarders. But, he was also glad he had friends such as Kaito and Gakupo. He was especially relieved to have such a close friend as Miku. She was probably the only other noble in this whole kingdom that thought the same way he did.

He continued to stare out the window and subconsciously, he searched for the woman he hadn’t seen in a few days now. Hoping to catch a glimpse of her blonde hair, or her lovely smile, he also assumed that she wouldn’t be wearing such an elaborate dress like the one she wore every time they met.

_I wonder what her occupation is…_

Scanning the crowds of people, he spotted a few golden heads but none of them were the same as his pastel pink flower’s. None of them had lovely soft curls like she did and none of them wore a large ribbon at the back of their heads. Sighing solemnly as he realized that there were too many places in this city to even hope that she would happen to be in this one area. But even with that thought in mind, he still scanned the streets.

_Even if I have a slight chance of seeing her, that is enough of a chance to make me search. _

Suddenly, the carriage came to a halt, surprising him as he bumped his forehead on the glass of the window. It didn’t hurt but it was embarrassing realizing what had just happened and he hoped that neither Kaito nor Gakupo saw it.

The three of them climbed out of the coach and politely thanked the driver. The driver just nodded indifferently as he cracked the whip, forcing the horses back into action. As they disappeared down the alley, Len stared up at the building that glowered down at him.

_Mistress Meiko’s Flower Bed…? What in the world is this?_

“Come, let us go in!” the blue-haired man insisted as he dragged him into the shady building, the purple-haired man trailing behind.

Inside, the walls were a soft maroon and the lights were very dim. There was a dark mahogany reception desk near the door and pictures hung on every wall. A little too late, he realized that they were… very suggestive photos of women and he figured what kind of place they were in.

“Gakupo,” the blonde whispered nervously, “I do not believe I should be here.”

“Nonsense,” the eldest replied. “You are old enough to come here. But do not fret; we will pay for all the fees.”

_That is not what is worrying me. _

“Mistress?” Kaito called curiously, leaning over the reception desk. “Are you in?”

“Can you not wait for one moment, you eager man!” a voice shouted from somewhere in the back. She sounded slightly irritated. They waited for a few minutes until finally a woman, around in her early twenties, appeared behind the counter. She had chestnut brown hair that barely reached her shoulders. Her hazel eyes studied the two eldest men and wrinkled her nose, “Well, I cannot say I am pleased to see you two again.” Slowly, her gaze fixed on Len as she questioned, “Now, who may this young man be?”

“Mistress,” Gakupo spoke up, “this is our old friend, Len Kagamine. He is the lucky nobleman who has the princess’ hand in marriage.”

“Ah! You are the one?” she inquired in surprise. “It is an honour for him to come visit my house!”

“Len,” the blue-haired noble pat his back, “this is Mistress Meiko, and she is the owner of this house.”

“Pleased to meet you, Mistress,” he bowed awkwardly, unable to say anything else. So this was the “paradise” that they were speaking of. How shameful of them to come to this house.

“I would like Kitten for tonight,” the purple-haired man ordered.

Kaito also demanded a certain ‘lady’, “I would like Pigtails.”

“Excellent, they are down the hall. Be sure to pay by morning.” The mistress pointed to her left. The two men nodded in affirmative as they disappeared around the corner, leaving poor Len by himself in the reception area, not knowing what to do.

“Master Len,” Meiko piped up, causing him to jump at her commanding voice. “How old are you?”

“Nineteen, ma’am,” he blurted, feeling embarrassed and fidgety.

“So young…” she murmured with a twinge of jealousy hidden in her tone. Focussing back onto him, she said, “The youngest lady we have is Ribbon, she is also nineteen.”

_Ribbon…?_

“Must I do this?” he asked, sounding a little too desperate to leave.

The brunette shrugged her shoulders and sighed, “If your friends are treating you, it is only polite to take their deal.”

_Ah… she has a valid point…_

“So,” she sprang the question, sounding a little impatient, “will you take Ribbon?”

Sighing in defeat, he stuttered, “I-I suppose.”

“Splendid!” the mistress exclaimed triumphantly. “Ribbon’s room is down that hall, she is the door at the end,” she directed, pointing to her right. “I hope you have a good time,” she smirked.

“Thank you,” he mumbled sheepishly as he followed her directions to the door at the end of the hall. Unsure of what to do next, he knocked three times and waited for an answer.

“You may enter,” a familiar voice called through the wooden barrier, catching him off guard. Could it be…?

_No, that is impossible._

Slowly, he fearfully opened the door into another dimly lit room. Off to his right was a very large bed covered with velvet sheets. There were no windows in this room and off to his left was a large white vanity. Sitting at the vanity, facing the mirror was a young woman with blonde hair that just touched her shoulders, bouncing in soft curls. She wore a pastel pink dress that touched the floor and wore a large ribbon on the back of her head. The lady seemed to be busy applying something onto her face as she smirked and questioned, “So what is your name, dear gentleman?” Her tone was low and seductive, as if trying to lure him closer to her.

The shock that he felt was incomprehensible, he couldn’t believe who he saw seated in front of the vanity. It made his heart fall all the way down to the pits of his stomach when he realized that she didn’t know it was him. Hesitant to speak, he longed to just leave the room now, hoping she didn’t see him. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he croaked, “Len.”

As soon as she heard the name, her eyes grew as wide as the mirror she looked into. She quickly turned her head to face him; her expression was one of bewilderment and horror. “Lenny…?” she whispered, her demeanor immediately changing. “No… you were not supposed to find out…”

“Why did you hide this from me…?” he trailed off, unable to say anything more. His mind was blank; he had no idea what to do or what to say.

“I-I…” Rin couldn’t answer his question but before she fell completely silent, she noticed the crest that was present on the left side of his jacket. “You are a noble?” she questioned quietly.

Baffled by the sudden question, he looked down at his clothing and mentally cursed. He should have changed out of his clothing before coming here. But there was no use in hiding it now, so he merely nodded and said, “Yes, I am. My full name is Len Kagamine. I am the son of Duke Leon Kagamine and I am the one who has Princess Miku’s hand in marriage.” As much as his mind told him not to say it, he had to. He didn’t want to lie to her any longer.

“You… you are so close to royalty…” her expression was frozen to show how much she was hurt and shocked.

“You still have not answered my question yet,” he pointed out as he waited patiently for an answer.

Biting her lip nervously as she hung her head; she clenched her fingers together as she muttered, “I was ashamed of telling you of my occupation. I have no idea why, but I did not want you to think badly of me. It would be devastating if you thought me as disgusting, but I assume that no longer matters.” Looking back up to stare into his eyes, she had a forced smile on her lips, “Since all you noblemen think poorly of us commoners anyway.” Her voice had venom in it that seared into his soul, burning a hole in it.

“That is not true!” Len cried as he took a step closer to her.

“Do not come any closer!” she screamed, causing him to freeze on the spot, her face was now contorted in anger. Rin was now standing, holding a brush in her hand as if she was ready to throw it at him. “It is true! Nobles despise us for our lack of wealth and they only use me as a stress reliever, same goes for Kitten and Pigtails and everyone else in this house!” Acid dripped from her words as they stung and burned him deep in his heart. She growled at him as tears welled up in her azure eyes. “You do not want me, I bet you despise me now.” The way her voice wavered told him that she was losing her courageousness, that her anger was starting to take over.

“Rin,” the blonde noble painfully whispered, “you are wrong.”

“No, Len, I am not. Oh wait, should I be addressing you by ‘Master Len’ from this point on?” Although she didn’t sound as intimidating now because of the tears, the hiss was still frightening to hear. “I am aware of you nobles, I know them. They are selfish and spoiled and when they do not get their way, they become violent or clingy. I am aware that you do not even see me as a human being. I know you despise me.” The tears now fell rapidly down her cheeks as her knees wobbled, causing her to fall to the floor. Still clutching the brush, she hiccupped, “And I know that you do not love me.”

That last sentence was very quiet as she finally threw the brush at him, narrowly missing his forehead. Her whole body shook as she began to cry, her expression now only showed agony and sorrow.

The emotions that entered and left the woman were so sudden and abrupt that it didn’t give him time to react properly. Now that he saw his flower crumpled on the floor in tears, he felt his heart tug in guilt. _I am the cause of her agony. _His chest began to tighten painfully, making it hard to think. But even so, there was one thought that over-ruled the rest:

_You are wrong, Rin. I do love you…_

With a sudden surge of courage, he silently moved towards the distressed maiden and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. Placing her head in the crook of his neck, he gently caressed her head tried to comfort her.

Rin seemed shocked by his sudden act of affection but soon she started to push on his chest. But her shoves were weak and shaky from tears as she choked out, “Unhand me.”

“I will not,” Len muttered in return, completely denying her request. As if to prove what he said, he held her a little tighter as he continued to stroke her hair. While he did this, the large ribbon that was tied into her hair slowly unravelled and fell into a small pool beside them.

“Foolish noble,” she sniffled but regardless of her spoken denial, she snuggled in closer.

“Love is foolish at times,” he whispered, planting a light kiss on the maiden’s forehead. The bewildered look he received told him that he should continue speaking, as he explained, “You are wrong, Rin. Although many nobles despise commoners, I find one commoner more attractive than any high class woman I have ever met. I am unaware of how many people have… used you, but I can assure you that I have never seen you as a mere tool. And please do not call me ‘Master Len’; I hear that too much as it is.” Reaching out slowly, he touched the flushed cheek of his loved one as he spoke softly, “You are also wrong on another point.” Right after he uttered the words, he leaned in close and placed a soft, chaste kiss on her delicate lips, “I do love you.”

Throughout his whole reverie, she stayed silent in his arms. Her expression unbelieving of his words until he kissed her, then her eyes yet again, filled with tears. “You lie,” she accused.

“Why would you accuse me of such a thing?” he questioned calmly, feeling slightly hurt at her skeptical thoughts. Squeezing her tightly, he murmured into her ear, “I love you, my delicate rose.”

Len could feel the warm tears seep into his collar as she blubbered whole-heartedly, “I love you too, Lenny.”

_I never would have thought I would be so relieved to hear that nickname. _

In the crumpled pile on the floor, the pair continued their warm embrace for what seemed like an eternity. After a while, he began to realize that even her scent was one of roses and something else… oranges? Whatever it was, it was sweet and smelled delicious. Almost greedily, he inhaled more of the lovely smell before he pulled away and wondered aloud, “What type of fragrance are you wearing?”

“Ah, Mistress made it herself,” Rin replied before swallowing nervously. “Did you happen to smell it?” she asked with a hint of dread within her voice.

“I did, but why do ask with such a tone?” even as he spoke the sentence, he could feel his vision cloud ever so slightly. Was the room always this warm? His head spun slightly as he struggled to focus on the woman he was talking to. “Is it a sin to smell you?”

“It is not a sin,” she giggled as she added, “but my fragrance also contains an aphrodisiac.”

_Well… _

Len didn’t know how to react to such information. He should have known that they would have such drugs but he had forgotten so easily while they were hugging. After blinking for a few moments, he sighed and tugged at the collar of his jacket, loosening it. Breathing in relief at the release, he smirked seductively and asked, “Then how shall I cure this predicament, my flower?”

_I did not just say that… Did I?_

Although it was a suggestive comment, he couldn’t care less about his pride. His vision was now hazy and his heart was pumping in his chest. The temperature of his blood suddenly went up a few degrees as he longed to shed off his clothing in order to sooth the burning of his body. And the only feeling he could register now was his undeniable need for the woman in front of him.

“Well, I suppose there is no other way,” The blonde lady grinned playfully as she rose from her seat on the floor. At a teasing pace, she gracefully unlaced the strings at the back of her pastel pink dress, causing it to loosen its grip on her torso.

He watched with lidded eyes as the piece of clothing fell into a large pool around the beautiful maiden. She now stood in plainly a corset, panties and pure white stockings.

_My, she looks beautiful._

In the most elegant fashion, she hopped over the clothing that lay on the floor and strutted seductively to the large bed, swaying her hips from side to side in a teasing manner. She sat down on the silk sheets and crossed her legs, a mischievous grin evident on her lips as she whispered lowly, “Come, Lenny. Undress yourself and come feed on the nectar of a corrupted flower.”

A growl rumbled deep in his chest as he heard the words flow from her lips as he shed himself of his jacket and dress shirt. Too impatient and overtaken by drugged lust to undress further, he simply pounced on the lady sitting on the bed. Lightly shoving her back onto the mattress, he towered over her while pinning her hands above her head. “My pleasure,” he replied huskily as he captured her sweet lips in a deep passionate kiss.

o.O.o.O.o

“Excuse me! Master Len, Ribbon, it is about time you wake up!”

A groan escaped the blonde noble’s throat as he rolled over lazily. What time was it? Scratching his hair, he sat up and blinked multiple times, still dazed from the slumber he was forced out of. “I am awake, Miss Meiko!” he yelled groggily in the door’s general direction.

“You may call me Meiko,” he could hear the grin in her voice as she continued, “but you two sounded very passionate last night. I hope your stay was not too morbid.”

The brief reminder made him snap awake as he flushed crimson at her teasing. “N-no, it was fine,” he stammered.

He heard a brief chuckle through the wooden door as she yelled, “I still cannot believe you know her real name. You must be special.”

_I am. But you would never guess in what way. Hold on one minute, how does she know that? _

“But that aside, I do not serve food to guests here, so as soon as you are done in there, you may leave. The other two are still sleeping but you should leave soon. The wedding starts within a few hours.”

“Ah, thank you, Meiko.”

“You are very welcome, Master Len,” he heard her footsteps begin to leave the door.

“Wait!” he called as he heard the footsteps stop in their tracks, so he continued, “Please call me Len from now on. I dislike being called Master.”

There was a silent pause, as if the mistress was surprised to hear it from a noble. But soon, she replied, “As you wish, Len,” the smile evident in her tone. With that, her footsteps receded until they disappeared.

Len let out an empty chuckle as he ran his fingers through his messy golden locks. His hair was no longer in its ponytail, the tie being ripped out in the middle of a frenzied night. A grin slowly spread across his face as he recalled all the events that had happened the night before. It’s insane how much can happen within a few hours.

Turning to his right, he couldn’t help but marvel at the angelic expression his love was making while she slept. His grin only grew as he remembered what they happened to do before they fell asleep, intertwined. Unable to stop himself, he reached out to caress his love’s soft cheek. Just as he did this, she stirred a little and ever so slowly peeled her eyes open.

“Lenny…” Rin yawned as she rubbed her eyes with one hand, touch the one on her cheek with the other. “I cannot believe you are still here.”

“Why is that?” he asked curiously.

“Most men that visit me leave long before I even awaken; I suppose they are ashamed to be with me.”

“Why would I be ashamed to be with the one I love?” he shot back simply as he peeled the sheets off himself, searching for his clothing in the dark.

The giggled that erupted from her lips made his heart leap, “You have a valid point.”

Smiling mostly to himself, he finally caught hold of his undergarments and slipped into them gratefully. Not even a second later, he felt the fabric of his trousers under his fingertips as he tugged them onto his legs. Becoming tired of crawling on the floor in the dark, he sighed, “Rin, could you turn the lights on?”

“No, because I am still nude,” she retorted simply.

“Well,” he pushed himself off the floor and trotted over to the nightstand where the lamp proudly stood, “then I shall do it myself.” With that, he flicked the switch and the room was soon filled with a warm yellow glow of artificial light. As immediately as it filled the room, it bounced off the maiden’s creamy white skin, making her glow in the light.

“Lenny!” she cried out and in a flash, she was underneath the covers. Her cheeks were flushed a bright pink as she pulled the blankets over nose as she pouted.

A light chuckle escaped his lips as he brushed a section of her bangs out of her eyes. “You do not need to be ashamed of your body, you are beautiful.” Planting a light kiss on her forehead, he scanned the floor for his dress shirt and jacket. Sighing in relief when he spotted it in a messy pile near the vanity, he walked over to it and slipped into the sleeves of the shirt. As he buttoned it up, he asked, “Did you enjoy last night?”

Rin stubbornly wrapped the blankets around her exposed body as she finally rose from the bed to retrieve her scattered clothing. The blush didn’t fade even a shade as she admitted, “I did. I did not feel like a tool last night.” Grabbing her corset, she turned to him and smirked cheekily, “Last night was the very first time I did not need to fake my pleasure. Well done, Lenny.”

It was now his turn to flush a light crimson as he mumbled, “Thank you.” Checking the mirror briefly, he snarled at the blonde mess that sat atop his head and made a futile attempt to straighten it out.

“I love your hair,” the blonde lady commented as she tightened the strings on the back of her corset and gracefully tied it off. “It is very soft.”

“I am glad you like it,” he replied without missing a beat. “But my hair will never be as lovely as yours,” he grinned as his love’s cheeks flushed a deeper shade of pink as he shrugged on his coat and straightened the wrinkles out. As he buttoned up his overcoat, he moved towards the fair maiden and gave a chaste kiss on the lips, “Your nectar was very sweet, my dear flower.”

“You lie,” she denied bashfully. “A corrupted flower only contains bitter nectar.”

“But your nectar was the sweetest I have ever tasted, making you the purest flower I have ever picked,” he kissed the mark that he had left on her neck and smiled whole-heartedly.

The blonde woman’s face was almost as red as a cherry as she bent down and slipped on her underwear. “Whatever you say,” she murmured in a breathy tone, as if she couldn’t believe that he thought that.

Len chuckled as he whispered, “Corrupted or not, you are mine. I love you despite your occupation.” He pulled her into a tight embrace as he nuzzled his nose into her neck, “I may not be able to claim your body, but I have claimed you heart: and that is enough to make me happy.”

Rin’s arms coiled under his arms and clutched his shoulders, pulling him to closer to her as she breathed, “I love you too, Lenny. I am overjoyed that my love for you is not one-sided.”

His heart nearly singed with delight as he pulled away slightly to place a short, sweet kiss on his flower’s lovely lips before he let her go and searched the floor for the brush she had thrown at him the night before. When he found it, he smirked and waved it in the air as if to remind her of her amazing mood swings. “Your aim is amazing, milady,” he stated with a hint of humour in his voice. Her expression was shocked, horrified, guilty and sheepish all at the same time which made it impossible for him to suppress his laugh.

“I apologize for my outburst,” she pouted as she slid the pastel pink dress back up her slender body and re-laced the strings at the back.

“I forgive you, but may I use this?” when he saw her nod, he immediately ran the device through his dishevelled hair, ridding of all the knots and tangles of last night’s activities. Slightly saddened, he could not find his hair tie so he just left it as is. When he was done with the brush, he placed it back on the vanity as he sighed, “Well, I must be on my way.” Although he really didn’t want to leave her, he knew he had to.

Almost immediately, her facial expression went from playful to disappointed, “Ah, I see,” even her tone of voice was crestfallen.

“I am so sorry, Rin, but I cannot be late for the ceremony, otherwise my father will have my head.”

_As well as Kaito and Gakupo’s heads._

“Ah, you are engaged to princess Miku…” it was as if she were trying to remind herself of the cruel reality.

The way she looked down at her feet made his heart clench as he pleaded, “Please do not make that face.”

“I want to be your wife,” she muttered sadly as she walked towards him and wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face into his chest.

Hearing those words made his breath hitch for a second as he returned the embrace, “Please do not make this harder for me. I want to have your hand in marriage as well.” His voice cracked slightly as he spoke the words, but he was too caught up in his emotions to care.

They stayed like that, both not wanting to let go but both knew that they must. With a ridiculously large amount of will power, he reluctantly separated the two and forced a smile onto his lips. “I shall be going,” he said as he placed his fingers on the doorknob.

Before he could even turn the knob, to hands clamped onto his left arm and tugged weakly. He turned to face his teary eyed love as she shot a frantic question, “Will I ever see you again?”

“I-I…” he wished desperately that he could, but as soon as he becomes royalty, he doubted that he would even be allowed out of the castle. “I do not know,” he answered honestly, no matter how much he wanted to reassure her.

“No, that will not do,” she shook her head in a panic, “I must see you again.”

Before he answered her persistent comment, he was immediately reminded of the first night they had met; they had a very similar conversation. It was almost laughable how their roles have switched since then, but the déjà vu did not comfort him in the least as he leaned in quickly to kiss his love one last time. Pressing their foreheads together, he wiped a single tear from her cheek and whispered, “I cannot guarantee anything, but I will try to write. If an opportunity arises, I will inform you of it. But please do not forget about me.”

“I promise, I will never forget,” the sincerity in her voice made him feel slightly more hopeful that they could still somehow be together.

He smiled in relief as he pecked her forehead, “Then until we meet again…” he trailed off.

“Adieu mon amour,” she murmured in an agony she could not contain as she let go of his arm.

“Adieu mon amour,” he repeated just as softly as he turned around and opened the door. Without looking back, he left the room with a single tear running down his cheek.

_Until we meet again, farewell, my love…_

** _Finish_ **

**Author's Note:**

> There is an epilogue that I wrote as well, but I'll put it up if there are enough requests for it. I feel like this story stands well on its own, but if people are itching for a happy ending, I have one. Thanks for the read!


End file.
